Skechers Go Run 4 General Info

The go run 4 is skechers fourth edition of the Go Run series. It is impossible not to notice the lightweight nature of this shoe. The upper is also extremely comfortable. It provides a sock like fit and has a nice wide toe box.

The upper pretty much hugs your foot everywhere and the material is pliable and has enough elasticity that it basically molds to the contours of your foot. This is all immediately noticeable and impressive.

Just by putting the shoe on one time I can tell that the upper of this shoe is top notch. I also can’t help but notice the similarities it has to the Nike free running shoe. It is a minimalist style shoe. 6.8 oz and 4.0 mm drop.

Skechers Go Run 4 Sole Info

Being a minimalist type shoe, it does not have an overly soft midsole. The foam materials are cushioned enough to keep your foot happy and firm enough to maintain ground feel.

One thing I really like about this shoe is its flexibility. It feels like it is molded to your foot even when striking the ground. This is also one of the many reasons I cant help but compare it to the Nike free.

I am a big fan of the free and it’s flexibility, and this shoe is no different. The midsole features something called M-strike.

It is an area right in the middle of the midsole/outsole that is made of a slightly firmer Eva foam than the rest of the shoe.

The M stands for midfoot and this area basically provides a landing pad for the middle of your foot to strike the ground. The idea is that it keeps your foot moving forward and promotes a midfoot strike.

I think the goal was to create a little bit of a rockered feel in the shoe. The effect of the M-strike area is not drastic but it is somewhat noticeable. It is more of a subtle addition to the overall smoothness of the shoes ride.

Another feature of the outsole is the go impulse sensors. These are strategically place round “pods” that are independent from the rest of the outsole.

They are also flexible and designed to give your foot more feedback and flexibility. This creates nice ground feel when running in the shoe.

Once again just like the M-strike area the effect is not drastic and it was hard for me to pinpoint what exactly these “pods” were doing (if anything).

That being said, one of the standout areas of this shoe for me was its flexibility and ground feel. So if the go impulse sensors are what’s creating that, they are a welcomed addition.

Skechers Go Run 4 Upper Info

The upper of this shoe is one of the most comfortable I have run in this year. As mentioned previously, it is a sock like fit on the foot.

The inside is made of a smooth mesh material. It is not a seamless upper but there are no areas of irritation. The tongue is wide and thin and wraps around the top of your foot.

Skechers advertises that you can run in this shoe without socks and I would agree with them.

I promised myself that I would never attempt to run without socks after I had a really bad experience a year or so ago involving giant blisters on the bottom of both of my feet.

If I were to pick any shoe I’ve run in this year to try running in without socks it would be this one. I really don’t think it would cause any problems. It is very soft and comfortable.

The upper also features what Skechers calls quick-fit. This is basically a hole in the back heel area of the upper that makes the shoe easier to put on.

I was concerned that this hole would compromise the shoes ability to hold my heel in place but I actually found that it does the opposite and really keeps my heel stable.

The top of my heel fits nicely into the opening and keeps my foot from sliding around inside the shoe when running.

It also has a nice wide toe box allowing plenty of room for your toes to spread out when you run. Overall I am a huge fan of the go run 4’s upper.

Skechers Go Run 4 Conclusions

I have to admit that seeing the “S” symbol on the side of this shoe was a little hard to get used to. When I think of Skechers I think of light up shoes and kids shoes from department stores, not performance running shoes.

These shoes have definitely changed my mind and I think they have really done a great job. I enjoyed running in the shoe but didn’t really like it passed 10 miles.

There’s just not enough cushion for me for runs much longer than that, but that’s really personal preference. It is so light that I think it could act as a great trainer and racer for people racing half marathons and below.

It really makes for a great racing shoe. This shoe is really as comfortable as it gets when it comes to the upper. It provides a nice smooth ride with great ground feel, that could be a tad bit softer.

If you’re looking for a lower heel to toe drop shoe that is lightweight and comfortable I think the Go Run 4 is definitely worth checking out.

We thank the nice people at Skechers for sending us a pair of Go Run 4 to test. This did not influence the outcome of the review, written after running more than 50 miles in them.

Sean is a long distance runner that lives in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania with his wife and 1 year old daughter. When not chasing his daughter around the house he can be found running on the Appalachian trail, local state forest trail systems, and the rolling hills of Cumberland Valley.

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Daniel

My 1st pair of shoes is Asics Kayano 20. Run in them for about 200km and i throw it aside…makes my knee pain. 2nd pair of shoes is Brooks Ravenna 5 and run in them for about 250km and now i also keep them aside as it always cause me foot pain. I can’t run pass 10km with both of those shoes without having problems Now i am running in Skechers GoRun 4. Been running 31km in them for 2 days continuous and i have non of the pain i had previously. Bravo to that! I think i have found the right shoes for me.

I am looking for a new long distance (12+) neutral shoe. Kinvara’s are just not comfortable at longer distances now and was considering the Go Run 4 until i read this review. Do you have any suggestions other than altras or hokas for a long distance option. thank you..

Kurt Stockbridge from Nike (a creator of the Nike Frees) made these and so many more great shoes happen. Your toes can finally seperate in a running shoe due to the flexible and wider toe box! I will always run in Skechers!

I recently bought this and the run ride 4 . I actually prefer the ride 4 . The cushioning is too firm for me on go run4 and its a big change from the previous model. I’d rate the kinvara 5 a better bet . its similar but with a better response.

The go run ride 3 and 4 are great shoes and light enough for racing.
The gorun ultra is a great shoe for anybody looking for a springy max cushion shoe.